Bailey to serve 11 months in jail

HILLSDALE — Charles Duane Bailey will serve 11 months in the Hillsdale County jail for possession of methamphetamines.

Bailey, 28, from Hudson was sentenced Monday morning in Hillsdale County Circuit Court by Judge Michael Smith after he pleaded guilty to the charge last month as part of a plea bargain. He was also placed on three years probation and ordered to pay close to $1,000 in costs and fines.

Bailey was arrested on March 9 by Hillsdale County Sheriff’s deputies during a routine traffic stop. During the stop, officers found various components used in the making of meth. After searching Bailey's home, officers found more items, including tubes that had methamphetamine residue on them.

During his arraignment last month, Bailey admitted to Smith that he was making meth in his home, but said that he was not selling it — he was simply making the drug for his own personal use.

Smith pressed Bailey about how many times he had made the drug and sold it to others. Bailey denied doing so at first, but Smith reminded him that he was under oath.

“Do you want to go to prison?” Smith asked.

Bailey then admitted to making meth at least 10 times and giving some to the mother of one of the people helping him get the ingredients for the drug.

As part of his sentencing, Bailey is not allowed to have contact with his brother-in-law Joseph Hartzell, who was also arrested during the traffic stop. Bailey told the court on Monday that Hartzell was buying pseudoephedrine pills and crushing them for him, but was unaware why he was doing it.

Three other charges, including operating/maintaining a meth lab, were dropped as part of Bailey's plea bargain.

Bailey faced up to 10 years in prison. He was remanded to the Hillsdale County Jail to complete his sentence and was given credit for 13 days served.